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and the novice , no matter how big a swell he may have been in private or public lite at the time of his reception into our ranks , becomes great indeed when he finds himself a full-fledged member of the most ancient and honourable , as it is likewise about the most numerous , Society which has ever been established . He is , perhaps , occasionally wrong in his estimate

of the true character of true Freemasonry , and he is apt to assign to it more special missions than were ever dreamt of , either in ancient or modern philosophy . But he survives the difficulties in which he involves himself by these pardonable eccentricities , and having exhausted his roll of missions , he betakes himself to a consideration of our numbers , which ,

under his skilful manipulation , becomes an almost inexhaustible subject lor discussion . It is here , however , that he at once obtains the assistance of the Masonic statisticians , who are so versed in numbers , that they will tell you to a nicety almost the precise number of Masons to be found in every State , or even in the smallest sub-division of every State , in the civilised world . Bro .

J OSIAH H . DRUMMOND , one of the Past Grand Masters of the Grand Lodge of Maine , is probably at the head of these statistical experts in the United States , and the Tables he annually compiles of the distribution of the Brotherhood throughout the Union and the Dominion of Canada , are so many evidences of his indefatigable powers of research , of which he

has every reason to be proud . The latest of these Tables are to be found in the published proceedings for the current year of the Grand Lodge and Grand Commandery of Knights Templar of Maine , and the picture-they present is certainly very wonderful . It seems there are in the United States of Canada no less than 55 Grand Lodges , and that the grand aggregate of

subscribing brethren in the jurisdictions severally presided over by these Grand Lodges is 615 , 000 , as against 605 , 000 in 1887 , and 596 , 000 in 1886 . At the head of these 55 jurisdictions is that of the Grand Lodge of New York , which has 72 , 000 Masons on its roll , Illinois being second , but at a very long interval , with 40 , 000 .

Pennsylvania stands third , with close on 38 , 000 , and Ohio next , with nearly 34 , 000 , Michigan and Massachusetts , each with upwards of 28 , 000 , being fifth and sixth respectively . Missouri can boast of nearly 26 , 000 , and there are'four others of the United States Grand Lodges which muster upwards of 20 , 000 . Canada has over 19 , 000 , and nine others range between 11 , 000

and nearly 16 , 000 , there . being only eight out of the whole 55 that have less than 1000 subscribing members on the roll . As regards Royal Arch Masonry , we shall probably not be far wrong in our estimate if we set down the " Royal Archers" as mustering about 150 , 000 . There were over 146 , 000 in 1887 , as against over 142 , 000 in 1886 , so that an allowance for increase

of 4000 in this Degree will not be excessive . The Templars in the States and Canada number upwards of 76 , 000 , the increase as compared with the previous year being about 3000 , but of these 76 , 000 less than 1000 are enrolled under the Great Priory of Canada , the principal Grand Commanderies in the States being those of New York and Pennsylvania , each

with close on 8000 members , Massachusetts and Rhode Island—together forming one Grand Commandery—with 7200 ; Illinois with nearl y 7000 ; and Ohio with 5600 . Such figures as these tell their own tale , and make it clear that Freemasonry in the United States is a very influential body , and

must be doing in its quiet and unobtrusive way a vast amount of good . And we should esteem it still more highly in some of the jurisdictions if the brethren were careful to guard Freemasonry from being mixed up with missions , and studiously kept private certain ceremonies which were never intended to be performed in the presence of profanes .

Whymper's "Religion Of Freemasonry."

WHYMPER'S "RELIGION OF FREEMASONRY . "

Surely we are living in the age of Masonic publishing ? What numerous works have been issued during the last 20 years , and how many are promised to us shortly ? Not books simply , but really critical and invaluable works of reference , historical , exegetical and statistical , based upon well ascertained facts . There has never been a period during this century which has been so constructive , though in part destructive , Masonically speaking , as the present , and certainly none more suitable for the examination and testing of theories respecting the origin , history , and character of Freemasonry .

Critics and experts now abound , and books are printed , circulated , and then , after due trial , are either placed on the shelves for ever or become accepted and trusty guides . Short work is made of the matter . The level is soon found , and willing or unwilling the labours of the essayist are raised

to honour or buried in oblivion . There is a guild of Masonic authors now to whom to appeal , and though the members are independent of each other as to their mode of research and wholl y untramelied as to their views ( uniformity being as impossible amongst them as jealousy ) , they are united as the " heart of one man " in their welcome of new iriends and faces

within their ever increasing circle , and equally so in their opposition , when cowans seek to intrude and desire the " Hall mark " to be placed on unsuitable and uncongenial material . Another new candidate has appeared for their suffrages . One who has

already been elected as a member of 2076 , so that his essay has not to seek , for it has obtained , the good wishes of many of the guild . We refer to Bro . H . J . Whymper , P . D . D . G . M . of the Punjab , and his work on "The Religion of Freemasonry , " which has just been issued from the press of Bro . Kenning-.

Bro . Whymper , P . M . 1448 , is well-known to the brethren of the " QuatuorCoronati" Lodge , No . 2076 , London , by whom he was elected a member of the " Inner Circle " on 6 th January , 1888 , an honour , beyond question , that was well deserved . Few , if any , of the distinguished Masonic Historians who belong to that famous Lodge are so competent as

our Brother ( who has returned to India ) to write on the special subject which has engaged his pen , as he is so familiar with the numerous Reli gions of the Great Dependency where he resides , where , more than anywhere else , the matter must be practically dealt with , and ultimately prove the wisdom or the folly of the Cosmopolitan basis of the Fraternity . Some brethren will not agree with the author in his inferences and deductions - but there will be no difference of opinion as to the merits of the

Whymper's "Religion Of Freemasonry."

work , either as respects its conscientious research , its faithfulness , fairness and , above all , its conspicuous sincerity . * A man may go astray in his theories , but , if he has laboured hard to discover the truth , honestly gives the facts on which he relies , and is ever courteous towards those who cannot accept his views , he cannot fail to command attention , respect , and consideration . This much , at least , nan be

said of Bro . Whymper , even by those who are wide as the poles asunder " from his standpoint . There will be very many , however , who , on stud ying the Book for themselves , will warmly sympathise with the author and join him in his protest against the present condition of things , in India more especially , and generally under the Grand Lodges of England and Scotland . The fact is , that but few know what actually is the state of matters

mainly because no work has hitherto treated specifically on the subject , That deficiency is now supplied , and , in "The Religion of Freemasonry , " we have a work of over 250 pages which deals with the whole question irom early times down to the present era , and to such an extent that astonishment and surprise will be felt that so much can possibly be written on the point , without even wholly exhausting the accumulated evidence .

Bro . Whymper's views appear to us to be those of numerous brethren who support the " Hautes Grades , " the Knights Templars , and other Bodies of what is known as Christian Freemasonry . Colonel McLeod Moore , of Canada , and Bro . E . T . Carson , of Ohio , have enunciated somewhat similar propositions , only in the present instance a mass of

evidence is submitted , which is almost overwhelming in extent , and well-ni gh exhaustive in character . All the known authors , whether favourable or otherwise , from Anderson to Oliver , and Preston to Gould , are summoned as witnesses , and even those who partially think with Whymper , such as Hughan and Mackey are not allowed to escape , their testimony being carefully noted , and the tendency of their opinions honestly stated .

The question " when put into a nutshell , " amounts to this . Must we , because Freemasonry was originally and exclusively Christian , and , so far as Records go , has not been formally changed to a Cosmopolitan and Uni . versal Religious Society , continue on the old lines , until either the Grand Lodges have duly decided otherwise , or an arrangement made for the

holding of separate lodges lor those who are neither Christians nor Jews , and , therefore , do not accept the "Volume of the Sacred Law" as their guide "Through Life to Immortality ? " To many , the Unsectarian basis of the Fraternity is its chief attraction , whilst not a few undoubtedl y accept that as the only possible foundation for our ancient and honourable Society .

The author quotes at length from the id ) old and new Constitutions , ( 6 ) English and foreign Constitutions of Grand Lodges and Records , & c , ( c ) the lectures , and { d ) the ritual , to prove his case , and most suggestive chapters follow respecting (<*) the Volume of the Sacred Law , ( f ) the growth of universality , { g ) Is universality possible ? (/ 1 ) opinions of Masonic writers : and then he concludes the work with a brief summary of the

whole subject , in which is recorded the provision he considers should be made to meet the present condition of things . He says : " We do not believe that , according to the spirit of the Masonic system , any one Constitution can be universal . In the case of the English Constitution a curious difficulty has arisen , owing to the expansion of the empire ; instead of

closing our eyes to this , it would be far preferable to face it manfully . It would not be inconsistent if to the original English Constitution there were attached a supplementary one , recognising in the fullest manner that there are now subjects of the empire who cannot agree with the strict teaching of English Masonry , formulated , as it was , without a thought being given to them . "

By this means Bro . Whymper believes that " the Sacred Volume of the non-Christian Mason will take not a place of mere equality with other books in a lodge , but v / ill assume that position which it is imperative the great lig ht of Masonry should take , i . e ., the "highest . " The author sees a likelihood of objections being raised to such a course , but urges that " The

right of visitation does away with any objection which may be raised on this head . The Grand Lodge of England has always insisted on the right of visitation as a landmark of our Institution , and so long as every lodge is open to visitation by all—the Christian lodge by the Hindoo , and vice versa —there can be no danger to the State . "

Other difficulties will occur to the minds of our readers , such as a lodge can have but one Great Light , and that this should be derived from the Constitution , " and if the religion of any country is to be the standard , what volume can be adopted in India , where there are so many faiths ? Bro . Whimper believes "the necessity would very speedily arise for Hindoo or other Grand Lodges" being started by which " a healthy stimulus would be given to Masonry by a proper recognition of its genuine principles . "

Bro . Whymper thinks he can detect in the 1738 Book of Constitutions " an intention on the part of the author to more distinctly premise Christian principles . " This may have been so , but the fancy did not last long , for in 175 6 a return was made to the " Old Charges " of 1723 , which from that period has in substance remained until now . Whatever may be inferred from the fact , the fact remains that the prayers offered in our lodges during the last century were often Christian in character , and thoug h the

Society was not then exclusively confined to professed Christians , there would appear to have been an enormous preponderance in that direction . This , we consider , was due to the Grand Lodge being formed in Eng land , and hence its supporters were selected from a country wherein the great majority were the adherents of Christian churches in one . form or other . Still , we are not aware that Jews were objected to officially , whatever may have been the local feelings in that respect , and we know that men of other

taiths were welcomed even then into our Fraternity . . , It will be news to many that in the lodges working under the Scottisn Constitution , official bearers of the Koran—the Zendavesta , and of other books esteemed as sacred in various religions—have been appointed . ' some lodges now , several of such sacred volumes are exposed at one an the same time , all being considered to be Masonically of equal importance-So that in India , in connection with Scottish Freemasonry , there are _ Y Bearers of the Zendavesta , the Koran and the Shasters , as well as " " , ut

Bearers , " which Bro . Whymper thinks strange or curious , as the r . Lodge itself has no such office for any but a Christian Minister , '10 U ^p its Provincial government it provides for the other Religions noted . ° ' Mackenzie ' s " Cyclopaedia " is frequently quoted from , but that work is always a correct representative of English Masonic opinion , as thatlamen brother declares " Religion forms no part of the scheme of Masonry , . ^ large volume by Bro . the Rev . A . F . A . Woodford ( so long esteemed this country for his labours ) being much more in harmony with the u 5 and customs of the Fraternity as to that question ,